Food
Preparation / Safety Guidelines Tips
from the Industry Council on Food Safety
Food safety is the most important ingredient in today's kitchen.
Most food-related illnesses can be prevented if you follow proper
handling and preparation procedures. The following information is
courtesy of the Industry Council on Food Safety, a coalition formed
by the National Restaurant Association, committed to food safety
education.
Recipe for Safe Food Preparation
Personal
hygiene
Wash hands
with hot soapy water before and after handling food.
Avoid handling
food when ill, or if you have cuts or sores on your hands.
Avoid cross-contamination
Separate
raw meat, poultry and seafood from other food in your grocery
shopping cart.
Store raw
meat, poultry and seafood on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator
to prevent juices from dripping.
Wash cutting
boards and knives before and after food preparation, and especially
after preparing raw meat, poultry and seafood.
Never place
cooked food on a plate which previously held raw meat, poultry
or seafood.
Time and
temperature rules
Refrigerate
or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within two
hours.
Never defrost
(or marinate) food on the kitchen counter; use the refrigerator,
cold water or microwave method.
Cook food
to the proper internal temperature; check for doneness with
a thermometer.
Serving
Leftovers & Carry-Out Food
Two-hour
rule
Whether
hot or cold, refrigerate or freeze prepared food within two
hours.
Prepare
to chill
Since bacteria
grow at warm temperatures, hot food should be cooled as quickly
as possible.
Before
refrigerating or freezing
Slice
large cuts of meat and poultry, such as roasts and turkey, and
store in serving-size packets.
Store large
quantities of thick food such as stew and chili in several small
containers.
Place container
of steaming hot food in a bowl of ice for 15 minutes.
Expiration
date
Label
wrapped leftovers with the current date; eat or freeze within
three to four days. Check the refrigerator weekly; discard old
food.
